True, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft (referencing the cross-sectional aspect of the shaft itself)

ABSTRACT

This invention embodies a newly designed cross-sectional configuration for a hockey stick shaft and only that aspect of said hockey stick shaft; That cross-sectional configuration (design) being of a true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval; Notwithstanding, this true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval cross-sectional configuration runs approximately eighty-two percent (48.5 inches +/−5%) of the overall length (58.5 inches +/−10%) of the hockey stick shaft; The bottom section is of the hockey stick shaft, approximately twelve percent of the overall length (7 inches +/−7%), comprises of a hollow rectangle for the receipt of a replaceable hockey stick blade, in most cases this blade is made of wood of graphite; The transitional section, which is the area where the oval section of the hockey stick shaft transitions to the rectangular section of the hockey stick shaft is approximately five percent of the overall length (3 inches +/−10%), and in no way does this invention claim or attempt to claim any of the processes used for making said hockey stick shaft, or for any exclusiveness for the various materials and/or the various methods of manufacturing said hockey stick shaft achieved through today&#39;s innovative, adaptive, and rapidly advancing manufacturing technologies.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] P.P.A. File No. 60/261,620 Dated Jan. 16, 2002

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] “Not Applicable”

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

[0003] “Not Applicable”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] 1. Field of the Invention

[0005] This invention relates to a newly designed, cross-sectionalconfiguration for a hockey stick shaft (handle) to be used in the gamesof ice and/or roller hockey. This new cross-sectional configuration isthat of a true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval. There are nocircular (as in the concept where something is round, or considered tobe round) or flat (as in the concept where something is considered, orconsidered to be angular) with parallel or perpendicular surfaces.

[0006] This totally true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval hockeystick shaft can be manufactured from any of the materials (and with thesame manufacturing processes) currently being used to make the widevariety of hockey stick shafts available today. All of the standardmaterial types apply: wood, aluminum, fiberglass, and graphitecomposite; the standard graphite composite is usually a mixture ofgraphite, epoxy, and a fiber (glass) resin. The aluminum, fiberglass,and graphite composite shafts are most often hollow and designed toreceive (accept) a disposable hockey stick blade (wood or graphite).This detachable hockey stick blade is usually removed from, and attachedto the lower end of the hollow shaft using an undersized rectangulartenon (a.k.a. a rectangular tongue or tab) that fits into the base ofthe hollow shaft (which is rectangular in-and-of-itself). The mediumthat holds the removable hockey stick blade in place is an adhesive: hotglue or the like. The wood hockey stick shaft is (was) considered to bethe only totally, one-piece (solid) hockey stick shaft. The wood hockeystick shaft has its blade permanently attached to the shaft (handle)itself; although, technology has developed a method where a graphiteblade can be attached to the standard graphite shaft through the use ofan epoxy resin (or glued with a permanent material) to the base of theshaft and referred to as a one-piece graphite shaft, but in theory it isreally two pieces, not like the wooden hockey stick shaft which is inreality a one-piece hockey stick shaft.

[0007] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0008] This invention, referred to as a true, pure, and natural(elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft, relates to a totally new andimproved concept in the cross-sectional design, shape, and configurationof said hockey stick shaft. In the past, and to the present (2002), allhockey stick shafts (of either solid or hollow construction) aremanufactured in a similar yet standard rectangular configuration; thereare mild variances. This rectangular configuration (up until now) hasbeen the standard shape preferred by the majority of hockey players(both ice and roller) because of an orientation awareness regarding theplacement of the blade when stick handling, passing and/or shooting apuck. These original (old) designs of rectangularity have variousradiuses placed at the intersecting planes (also known as the corners,or the perpendicular right angles) where the vertical and the horizontalplanes meet. These rectangular configurations are manufactured with avariety of radiuses placed at (and only at) the right angles of theperpendicular planes on the hockey stick shaft. Although, there havebeen a few oddly shaped hockey stick shafts similar to that of circles,semi-circles, triangles, and octagons (such as the lacrosse stick).Furthermore, there have been shafts that have semi or fully rounded topsand bottoms (this top and bottom reference refers to the short,horizontal parallel planes that run the length of the shaft), and shaftswith concave indentations that run along the vertical, parallel sides.These odd shapes are rare, and none have added to the efficiency of thehockey player as the manufacturer(s) intended.

[0009] To date, there has never been a hockey stick shaft manufacturedor designed (either partially or fully) in the total geometric conceptof a true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval cross-sectionalconfiguration. This (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft is intended to,and will advance the level of the player's game in every aspect ofshooting, passing, and stick handling through the use of its natural andergonomically correct (elliptical) oval grip.

[0010] Since its beginning, the players of the game of ice hockey havealways used hockey sticks made of wood. These wooden sticks consisted totwo sections formed as one piece: the shaft (handle) and the blade. Inrecent years; however, advances in technology have yielded a newgeneration of hockey sticks. The one-piece wooden type still exists, butin many cases, they have been strengthened and reinforced usingfiberglass laminates. More recently, hockey sticks have evolved into atwo-piece mechanism. The shaft (handle) being of a rectangular hollowdesign can be manufactured from a variety of materials; e.g., plastic,aluminum, fiberglass, and a mixture of space age materials (graphite,epoxy resin, and a fiberglass material and/or resin) with the generalterm called a composite graphite hockey stick shaft. The blade (up untilnow) has always maintained its wooden configuration. This wood bladeconfiguration is made with a rectangular tenon (at a point on the bladewhere the shaft was originally attached) that is undersized so that itfits into the hollow, rectangular end (bottom) of the hockey stickshaft. Today there are hockey stick blades being manufactured out of thesame space age materials referred to as graphite. This material is of asimilar type material as the shaft itself (a graphite, epoxy resin, anda fiberglass material and/or resin).

[0011] Because of the hockey player's individual preferences, factorssuch as weight, strength, flexibility, and durability have always been amajor consideration in the manufacturing process and design of hockeystick shafts. In addition, with recent advances in the science ofcomposite material fabrication, the technological breakthroughs used inthe various manufacturing processes have proven extremely beneficial:specifically in the weight, strength, durability, and flexibilityarenas. From an engineering perspective, the (elliptical) oval'smechanical properties were determined from the equivalent properties ofan identical rectangular hockey stick shaft. The oval's structuralsection modulus was kept essentially identical to that of therectangular shaft. This affords the oval to have the same stiffness (asa beam and torsional member) as the rectangular shaft. The stress levelof the material and strength margin of the oval was also kept similar tothat of the rectangular shape. Strength and modulus equations were takenfrom the mechanical engineering handbooks. Additionally, even with allthese advances in alternative materials for hockey stick shafts, thewooden hockey stick shaft is still extremely popular in many areas. Onekey area is the price. Wood hockey sticks are far less expensive tomanufacture in comparison to the space age materials used in thecomposite shafts.

[0012] Through examination of the following patents, it is clearly shownthat although there are a large number of shapes, and just as manymethods for manufacturing these shapes, there are no referenced patentsthat represent, or even replicate anything similar or close to theconfiguration of the newly designed true, pure, and natural (elliptical)oval shape. Even though the word oval is mentioned in two separatepatents (U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,029 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,633), thesereferences are mentioned in a condescending manner, and it is clearlyvisible that no research was or has been done, and the mentioning of theword oval is/was strictly of a speculative nature. If research had beenconducted, the patent holder(s) would have known of the (elliptical)oval's impact and usefulness to the hockey player and his or her game.6,241,633 June 2001 Conroy 6,224,505 May 2001 Burger 6,117,029 Sept.2001 Kunisaki, et al. 6,033,328 March 2000 Bellefluer, et al. 5,586,696Feb. 1999 Calapp, et al. 5,636,836 June 1997 Carroll, et al. 5,577,725Nov. 1996 Pagatto, et al. 5,419,553 May 1995 Rodgers 5,333,857 Aug. 1994Lallemand 5,306,003 April 1994 Pagatto 5,303,916 April 1994 Rodgers4,968,032 Nov. 1990 Redekop 4,361,325 Nov. 1982 Jansen

[0013] Furthermore, every current and technical method used inmanufacturing the various shapes indicated in the referenced patents maybe used in manufacturing the true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval.

[0014] There are three different dimensional (elliptical) ovals: TheSenior, the Mid-Range, and the Junior. All three follow the sameintegrity of the (elliptical) oval dimensions. The shaft (handle)portion of the Goalie hockey stick will follow the exact dimensionalcharacteristics and parameters under which the full-length hockey stickshaft dimensions apply.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present invention relates to a newly designed hockey stickshaft with a cross-sectional configuration of a true, pure, and natural(elliptical) oval. This new concept of an (elliptical) ovalcross-sectional configuration (due to the laws of physics governing thespecific physical characteristics of ovals {a.k.a. conic sections}verses other shapes) makes the (elliptical) oval configuration betterand more practical than its rectangular, triangular, or oddly shapedpredecessors. The following are but a few areas in which the true, pure,and natural (elliptical) oval configuration are more desirable andfunctional for use during the games of ice and/or roller hockey. Theyare as follows, greater resistance to fractures, stress, and breakage;greater torsional, flexural, and strength characteristics (axial and/orlongitudinal); reduced weight, along with the (elliptical) oval'snatural and ergonomic grip create additional performance characteristicsthat assist the user's abilities in a superior manner far ahead of allits predecessors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 is a full length, angled, shaded, third-dimensional view ofthe (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a full length, angled view of the (elliptical) ovalhockey stick shaft in a lined (isometric wire) configuration withsectional length measurements: the oval shaft (handle), the oval torectangle transition, and the rectangle (hozel) end.

[0018]FIG. 3 is an elevated end view of the oval portion of the (hollow)hockey stick shaft (showing the wall thickness) as viewed along thelines 1-1 of FIG. 1.

[0019]FIG. 4 is an elevated end view of the rectangular (hozel) portionof the (hollow) hockey stick shaft (showing wall thickness) as viewedalong the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

[0020]FIG. 5 is full angled view of the transitional section (oval tapedto the rectangular taper) in a shaded, 3-Dimensional form as viewedalong the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

[0021]FIG. 6 is full angled view of the transitional section (oval taperto the rectangular taper) in a lined (isometric wire) form as viewedalong the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

[0022]FIG. 7 is full angled view of the transitional section (oval taperto the rectangular) in a solid form as viewed along the lines 3-3 ofFIG. 1.

[0023]FIG. 8 is an inside dimensional end view of a hollow (elliptical)oval hockey stick shaft with all of the various (inside) dimensions forthe three (elliptical) oval hockey stick shafts (Junior, Mid-Range, &Senior).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] The pure, true, and, natural (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaftFIGS. 1 and 2 is depicted as a hollow shaft with a specific insidedimensional cross-sectional configuration FIG. 8, and a specificdimensional wall thickness, FIGS. 6 & 7. Said hollow hockey stick shaftcomprises of three elements (sections); The first being the oval section(the actual handle) FIGS. 1 and 2, # 1; The second being thetransitional section FIGS. 1 and 2, # 3 and FIGS. 5, 6, and 7respectively; and the third being the rectangular section (a.k.a. thehozel) FIGS. 1 and 2, # 2.

[0025] The (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft is further illustrated(in one fashion or another) in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 asindicated in the following descriptions. FIG. 1 is a shaded,three-dimensional image of the full (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft(all three sections exhibited). FIG. 2 is the same as FIG. 1 except thatFIG. 2 is a lined diagram drawing. FIG. 3 is an end view of a hollow,(elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft along line 1-1, and this is themain section (the longest portion) of the hockey stick shaft. This isthe section called the handle of the hockey stick shaft as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 # 1. The actual wall thickness of the hollow hockey stickshaft (all three sections) is 0.095″+/−0.025″ (ninety-five thousandthsof an inch, plus or minus twenty-five thousandths of an inch). FIG. 4 isan end view of a hollow, rectangular hockey stick shaft along line 2-2,and it is the second longest portion of the hockey stick shaft. Thissection is called the hozel as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 # 2, and the samewall thickness applies. FIG. 5 is a shaded angular view of thetransitional section (the third, shortest, and last portion) of thehockey stick shaft shown along line 3-3. This is where the actual(elliptical) oval transitions from an oval taper to a rectangular taper.FIG. 6 is the same as FIG. 5 except that FIG. 6 is a lined diagramdrawing so that the actual transition is visible. FIG. 7 is a similarsectional view of the transition except that FIG. 7 is viewed in a solidform showing the physical transition as it is seen on the exterior ofthe (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft. FIG. 8 is an insidedimensional grid drawing calling out the actual inside dimensions of thethree (Senior, Mid-Range, & Junior) oval sections of the (elliptical)oval hockey stick shafts. The actual wall thickness (0.095″+/−0.025″ onan inch) of these hollow hockey stick shafts can be seen depicted inFIG. 3 # 4, and FIG. 4 # 5.

What I claim is:
 1. An elongated linear shaft or handle, to be used inthe games of ice and/or roller hockey, that is of a true, pure, andnatural (elliptical) oval cross-sectional configuration: said shaft orhandle is approximately fifty-eight and one-half inches(58.5″+0.0″/−4.0″) in length.
 2. An elongated linear shaft or handle asdefined in claim 1, where said (elliptical) oval cross-sectionalconfiguration is defined by a continuous series of mathematical,dimensional points depicting a true, pure, and natural (elliptical)oval.
 3. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 1,where within said shaft exists an upper section which is of an(elliptical) oval cross-sectional configuration approximatelyforty-eight and one-half inches (48.5″+0.0″/−2.5″) in length and isconsidered to be the upper or handle area on said shaft.
 4. An elongatedlinear shaft or handle as defined in claim 1, where within said shaftexists a transitional section of three inches in length where the(elliptical) oval transitions from an oval to a rectangle. Saidtransition is approximately seven inches (7″) from the bottom end of theshaft.
 5. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 1,where within said shaft or handle exists a lower section which is of arectangular cross-sectional configuration approximately seven inches(7″) in length and is considered to be the bottom, blade, or lower area(end) on said shaft.
 6. An elongated linear shaft or handle as definedin claim 1, where said shaft or handle can be manufactured from acombination of epoxy resin, fiberglass, and graphite: commonly referredto as a graphite shaft.
 7. An elongated linear shaft or handle asdefined in claim 1 & 6, where said shaft or handle manufactured would behollow throughout the entire length of the handle or shaft with oppositeends open.
 8. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 7,where said shaft or handle being hollow throughout it's entire length,is designed to receive a rectangular tongued (tenon of tab), replaceablehockey stick blade at one end (the lower rectangular end), and areplaceable plug or cap at the other end (the upper oval end).
 9. Anelongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 7, where said shaftor handle being hollow throughout has a uniform wall thickness,approximately thirty-five thousandths (0.035″) of an inch, plus or minusfive thousandths (+/−0.005″) on an inch.
 10. An elongated linear shaftor handle as defined in claim 7, where said shaft or handle can bemanufactured from aluminum.
 11. An elongated linear shaft or handle asdefined in claim 10, where said shaft or handle being hollow throughouthas a uniform wall thickness, approximately sixty thousandths (0.060) ofan inch, plus or minus ten thousandths (+/−0.010) on an inch.
 12. Anelongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 1, where said shaftor handle can be manufactured from wood.
 13. An elongated linear shaftor handle as defined in claim 12, where said shaft or handlemanufactured would be solid throughout the entire length of the handleor shaft and has a permanently attached blade at one end (lower).
 14. Anelongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 6, 10, and 11,where said shaft or handle can be manufactured from any of themanufacturing process available today.